12th May 2020

Lettuce Celebrate! Tasty Recipes for National Vegetarian Week

With many of us growing bored to tears of our other halves signature dishes – 50 days of Spaghetti Bolognese is enough for anyone – this week marks National Vegetarian Week (11th-17th May) and could act as the perfect antidote for anyone stuck in a cooking rut.

We’ve pulled together some of our most favourite recipes from Mushroom Mac ‘n Cheese to the ultimate Chilli Non Carne!

method

Add the garlic and risotto rice to the pan and heat through, stirring continuously for 1 minute.

Add half the stock, stir thoroughly. Set a timer for 15 minutes for cooking the rice (or for the recommended pack cooking time minus 2 minutes).

Cook the courgette separately in the remaining olive oil to remove any excess moisture, then add to the risotto pan when the timer says 10 minutes to go.

Stir the rice continuously to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan (turn down the heat if needed).

Anytime the rice gets too dry, add a little more stock, not too much at a time. If it bubbles too much turn down the heat a little.

Add the cavolo nero when the timer says 5 minutes to go.

When the 15 minutes are up, taste test the risotto. It should be al dente, not completely soft. If it’s ready, turn off the heat, stir in most of the cheese and the butter, stirring in gently until deliciously creamy.

Serve immediately, adding a sprinkling of cheese and a final drizzle of olive oil (trust me on this one, don’t skip it) onto each individual plate.

Method

Place a large non-stick saucepan over a medium heat with 2-3 tbsp of oil. Add the onions and when clear add The Meatless Farm Co mince. Cook together for 5 minutes, until the mince has browned all over. Next, add the garlic, 1 -2 teaspoons of chilli powder, cumin and coriander and fry for 1 -2 minutes more. Sprinkle over the ﬂour and stir well.

Slowly add the wine, followed by the stock, stirring constantly. Tip the tomatoes and kidney beans into the pan and stir in the tomato purée, caster sugar (optional), oregano and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a simmer and cover loosely with a lid. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened. Adjust the seasoning to taste then serve.

To Serve

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and add in the onions with a pinch of salt. Fry gently until cooked through then leave to cool.

Place the white bread in a food processor and blend until turned into breadcrumbs. Tip into a large bowl. Also blend the watercress until finely chopped then add into the same bowl. Repeat with the spinach.

Add in the cooled onion and cheese before mixing together. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add to the other ingredients a little at a time until the mixture comes together. You may not need all of the egg. Add in a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Shape the mixture into 6 burgers then dust all over both sides with flour, tapping off any excess. The burgers can now be kept either chilled for up to 3 days before frying or frozen for up to one month.

Place the sliced peppers into a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil before seasoning with salt and pepper. Place into the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers are soft.

Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry each burger for 2-3 minutes on each side before placing on a baking tray and finishing in the oven for another 8-10 minutes. Slice the brioche buns in half then spread one half of each bun with hummus and one half with sour cream. Place the burger on the bottom half, then top with the roasted peppers and place on the lid.

Method

Take a medium-large frying pan, add the olive oil, cocktail onions and peppers, cook until the peppers start to soften. Now add the sweet paprika, cumin, chilli flakes, garlic and continue cooking for a couple more minutes.

Add in the cherry tomatoes and give everything a good stir. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, sugar and season with a little salt and milled pepper.

Using a large spoon, make four wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Turn the heat down so that it’s barely simmering. Loosely cover the pan with a lid or a little tin foil. Simmer for about 6 minutes until the eggs are cooked but keeping a runny yolk.

Before serving, scatter with chopped coriander and serve with the griddled ciabatta toasts.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C, Gas Mark 4

Boil the potatoes and parsnip until tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and the carrot and fry gently until softened.

Add the Quorn Mince, frozen veg, vegetable stock, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, soy sauce and seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add the cornflour made into a paste with the tablespoon of cold water and continue to simmer gently, stirring all the time, until thickened. Place in an ovenproof dish.

Mash the potatoes and parsnip with the milk until smooth, season to taste with the salt and pepper. Place the topping over the Quorn mince filling and fluff up with a fork.